The Malik Report

Updated 4x with good news about Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg at 12:06 PM: Via MLive’s Ansar Khan, this quip from Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos should come as no surprise to those who witnessed Darren Helm suffering a serious injury to his forearm on a skate cut from Alex Radulov:

Awful news for the Wings, and it should be noted somewhere that Helm wears gloves with very long cuffs—size 14 gloves which end up with 15-inch protection—so it’s hard to blame the player for not taking adequate precautions to protect his wrists.

Helm, who had successful surgery Wednesday night, had just returned to the lineup after suffering a sprained left MCL on March 17 in San Jose. The Wings have missed Helm’s energy on the third line that he centers.

“Helmer just puts everybody in their right spot,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said Wednesday after the morning skate. “We had a great bottom six all year long and then we lost our people and we had no bottom six, no support scoring.”

Justin Abdelkader will more than likely move back up to centering the third line and Cory Emmerton will center the fourth line.

Helm is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September.

After finishing a check on Alexander Radulov with six minutes to play in the first period, Helm was cut by Radulov’s skate blade.

Helm is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp in September.

Helm’s was cut by the blade of Alexander Radulov’s skate with about six minutes to play in the first period of Nashville’s 3-2 victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals at Bridgestone Arena.

It’s a huge loss for the team, which relies heavily on Helm’s speed, forechecking ability and physical play, particularly in the playoffs.

The injury likely will prompt coach Mike Babcock to move Justin Abdelkader from fourth-line center back to third-line center, where he played the final 10 games of the regular season, when Helm was idled by a sprained left MCL.

Cory Emmerton would then move from wing back to center on the fourth line. Rookie Gustav Nyquist or veteran Chris Conner likely will be inserted into the lineup for Game 2 Friday in Nashville.

eneral manager Ken Holland told the Free Press, “Z is fine, I just talked to him at breakfast,” quenching any concerns Zetterberg might have awoken with the mother of all headaches—or worse, a concussion—after Wednesday’s events.

At the end of the 3-2 loss to the Predators, Zetterberg checked Weber, who responded by grabbing Zetterberg’s head and slamming it into the glass, twice. Zetterberg wasn’t available for comment after the game, Wings coach Mike Babcock said he was too far away to see much and hadn’t yet seen the replay, and Weber wrote it off as “playoff hockey.”

No word yet from the NHL regarding any possible disciplinary action, but league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan already has reviewed what happened and will make a decision today. He might just issue a warning, in light of Zetterberg not suffering any injuries. But the NHL has made a big deal all season of protecting players from head injuries.

Meanwhile, the Wings won’t have forward Darren Helm available when this series continues with Friday’s Game 2. He underwent surgery on his right forearm Wednesday night after getting cut by Alexander Radulov’s skate blade and is out for the playoffs. The surgery was performed by Dr. Douglas Weikert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Detroit, MI…Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm underwent successful surgery last night to repair lacerated tendons in his right forearm. The injury, suffered with just over eight minutes remaining in the first period of the Red Wings Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 1 vs. Nashville, will sideline Helm for the remainder of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Helm is expected to make a full recovery and return for the Red Wings 2012 training camp.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Douglas Weikert at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

It’s expected that Helm will be released from the hospital later today and will stay with the team in Nashville before returning to Detroit following Friday’s Game 2 against the Predators, who hold a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinals.

Crap. I think Ilitch should be on the phone to Gary and Donald Fehr thanking them for that sweet reentry package for Radulov. It was probably a freak accident, but it simply doesn’t happened if Radulov’s wearing a suit in the press box like he should be as someone who hasn’t played the minimum number of games to be eligible for the playoffs.

No word yet from the NHL regarding any possible disciplinary action, but league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan already has reviewed what happened and will make a decision today. He might just issue a warning, in light of Zetterberg not suffering any injuries.

Here’s what Rule 21 says…

Rule 21 - Match Penalties

21.1 Match Penalty - A match penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game and the offender shall be ordered to the dressing room immediately.

A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.

In addition to the match penalty, the player shall be automatically suspended from further competition until the Commissioner has ruled on the issue. See also Rule 29 – Supplementary Discipline.

21.3 Reports - The Referee is required to report all match penalties and the surrounding circumstances to the Commissioner of the League immediately following the game in which they occur.

Even though the game was over, the ref should have given Weber a match penalty because he clearly intended to injure Hank. As the rule states, the penalty is given when a player “deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.” No injury has to occur.

If the match penalty had been given, Shanahan would have very little “wiggle room” for letting Weber off. As it is, he can say, “Well, the ref only gave him two minutes so it wasn’t all that bad.”

Whatever happens, Weber has shown what a disgusting punk he is. Maybe he and Pronger should start a club for those who have deliberately tried to injure Wings players.

He might just issue a warning, in light of Zetterberg not suffering any injuries.

The fact that the outcome matters so much is dumb. It encourages players to act like soccer players. I expect the Wings have more class, but there’s no reason Z couldn’t say he has terrible dizziness and he’s going to see a concussion specialist.

The fact that the outcome matters so much is dumb. It encourages players to act like soccer players. I expect the Wings have more class, but there’s no reason Z couldn’t say he has terrible dizziness and he’s going to see a concussion specialist.

You know… I was just thinking the same damn thing. Z has always been one of those players that takes it and puts up with everything. The one time he could have maybe told a little white lie…

But then again… why lie… the proof is in the pudding. Weber went too far and tried to injure him.

Posted by
red_wings_49
from Mad Heights, MI on 04/12/12 at 01:56 PM ET

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